X-Ray Inspection for Low-Density Plastics & Rubber
Low-density plastics and rubber — found in common food plant parts like O-rings, gaskets, seals, and conveyor belting — are some of the most common foreign materials to end up in product. But these materials are effectively invisible to even advanced in-line detection equipment like X-ray. In fact, 37% of producers cite low-density plastic as a top foreign material problem (2026 Foreign Material Benchmark Report).
FlexXray’s low-density plastic and rubber inspection changes that. We pair X-ray with AI-enhanced photon counting, run far slower than production speed, to collect far more energy data per image than speed-optimized in-line equipment ever could. It’s the same trusted inspection you already rely on, now seeing what it couldn’t before.
When a plastic or rubber incident hits, our new process helps get to the bottom of it. Our inspection facilities act as an extension of your team to find it, isolate it, and get good product back into commerce.
Product: Bagged Sauce
Foreign Material: HDPE
Product: Hot Dogs
Foreign Material: Buna
Product: Nuggets
Foreign Material: Viton
What This Inspection Type Can Find
| Material | Commonly Found In… | Detectable with FlexXray Solution | Detectable with Common In-Line Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDPE | Conveyor guide rails, cutting boards, totes/bins, machine guards | ✓ | ✗ |
| Buna (NBR/Nitrile) | O-rings, valve diaphragms, hose linings, belt covers | ✓ | ✗ |
| EPDM | O-rings, tri-clamp/manway gaskets, steam/washdown hose parts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Viton (FKM) | High-heat seals, valve stems, filler/depositor seals | ✓ | ✗ |
| Acetal (Delrin) | Gears, bushings, conveyor sprockets, wear strips, guide rails | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nylon | Rollers, bearings, bushings, guide rails, wear pads | ✓ | ✗ |
| Silicone* | Oven door seals, gaskets, pump tubing, baking mats, spatulas | ✓ | ✗ |
*Dependent on product type and always requires a sample test
While our low-density plastics and rubber detection capability adds significant detection options, it’s not able to be used for:
✖️Product already packaged in metal or glass containers
✖️Bone-in product
✖️Soft plastics like bag liners and glove tips
If you’re not sure if your product qualifies, send FlexXray a sample.
